Safety device for washing machines



July 3, 1962 R. R. STEINBERGER 3,042,772

SAFETY nEvIcE EOE WASHING MACHINES VIII',

ings.

nite States This invention relates to safety devices, and with regard`to certain more specific features, to safety devices for automaticwashing machines.

Among the Aseveral objects of lthe invention may be noted the provisionof a safety device which will signal otherwise-hidden conditions ofWater leakage into the transmissions of washers in which this can occur;the provision of a safety device of the class described which will notonly produce the desired-signal but which will prevent hazardous leakagearound ythe washers; the provision of a device of the class describedwhich alvoids the contingency that leakage (unknown to a user) willremain in the .transmission of the washing machine to rust, gall, orotherwise damage it; `andthe provision of a device of the classdescribed which is of .simple and lowcost construction. `Otherobjectsand features will be in part apparent and in `part pointed outhereinafter..

The invention accordingly comprises the elements and combinations ofelements, features of construction, and arrangements of parts which willbe exemplified in the structures hereinafter described, `and the :scopeof which will be indicated in the following `claims.

In the accompanying drawings, in which certain embodiments of theinvention are illustrated inconnection with the following text,

FIG. l is a vertical section, parts being shown broken away 'and inelevation of a typical washing machine to which the invention isattached;

FIG. 2 is a side elevation of the new safety device, shown partly insection; and

FIG. 3 is an enlarged cross section taken on line 3 3 of FIG. 2.

Corresponding reference Acharacters indicate corre-v sponding partsthroughout the several views of the .draw- In FIG. l is `illustrated atypical automatic washing machine to which t-he invention is applicable.'Ilhe exact details of the washer are not critical but a briefdescription of the one shown will 'be given in order to set-forth thebackground of the invention. The washer consists of a housing 1 forminga lower compartment 3 for a vertically mounted motor 5 and an uppercompartment 7 for a rotating and pulsating transmission 9. The uppercompartment l7 is vdivided from the lower compartment 3 by a pan member1-1 which forms a sump at the bottom of compartment 7. This is forholding a quantity of oil 13, carried up to Ia `normal level 15. Bymeans of a suitable pump (not shown) this oil is circulated through theparts of transmission I9.

Attached to the upper compartment 7 is a sleeve 17 which carries asupport 19. Support l1-9 is carried on a water container 21. Thetransmission 9 has a bracket 23 forming 'a center bearing for a motordrive shaft 25. The bracket 23 is rotatable in the compartment 7 and bymeans (not shown) may be locked either to the motor shaft 25 or unlockedtherefrom and locked with respect to the stationary compartment 7.l Inthe former event,

3,042,772 Patented July 3, 1962 lCC all parts carried on the bracket 23as drivenl by the shaft 25 rotate as a unit. In the latter event, vshaft25 rotates with 4respect tothe then-stationary bracket. This rotates apinion 29 carried on shaft 25. The pinion 29 is meshed with a gear 31which `is rotatable in the bracket 23. The gear 31 is `connected byshaft 33 with a member 35 which carries an angled pin 37 around which islocated a sleeve 39. The-latter extends into an oscillator pin 41.y'Ihus when the bracket 23 is locked tothe compartment 7 and pinion`29drives gear 31, the assembly 35, v37, 39, 41 will alternate lbetween itssolid-*line and dotted-'line positions shown. Pin 41 extends into aknuckle 43 located in a yoke 45, carried yat the 'lower .end of apulsator shaft 47. When the assembly 35,37, v39, 41 rocks between thetwo positions shown, the pulsator .shaft moves up and down as suggestedby the two positions shown of the yoke 45.

Carried on the bracket 23 is Ia support 27 for an up-V stationary sleeve17 land rotates when the bracket 23 and motor :shaft v24 are lockedtogether. 0n the` upper end of the sleeve 49 is a tub support '55 for atub 57. It will be understood that the parts '5,5 and 57 form a rigidassembly inthe usual way, although their connection is not shown, beingin the broken-away parts of the drawing. Attached to the upper end ofthe shaft 47 is ,a pulsator cone 59. A vflexible boot or bellows 61forms a connection'between the pulsator 59 and the upper .end of thesleeve 49", thus guarding against water leakage into the space betweenpulsator shaft 47 and said Vsleeve 49.

Another ilexible boot -or bellows 63 forms `a sealing connection betweenthe pulsator 59 and the tub part 57. Between the stationary support 19and the rotatable tub support 57 is located Ia running rotary seal 65,adapted .to restrict water leakage into the space between the sleeves 49and 17, `and to prevent it from reaching the bearing 51 therebetween.Theseals 61, 63 and 65 normally prevent leakage of water between members17, 47 and .49. However, such vseals due to neglect are subject todamage, with resulting leakage into the transmission casing 7. If theleakage is through la rotary seal such as 65, it is usually slow. vOnthe other hand, leakage through stretchable bellows-.type seals such as61 and 63 is .often voluminous, due to such seals developing substantialcracks.

Conditions of either slow or fast leakage are disadvantageous. In thecase of slow leakage it may take a long period or" time to discover thatit is occurring, resulting in rusting, `galling Iand other damageoccurring to the parts of the transmission, and thus requiring rehplacement of many costly parts. Heretofore, leakage has been signalledonly by Adelayed overflow -along with mixed Voil ,through aVconventional breather pipe.

In the case of rapid leakage, as through one or both bellows r61 and 63,the rise in oil-water level would be more rapid, and while not so muchtime would elapse within which damage could occur to the transmission,on .the other hand there would be `a rapid spilling of the mixture ofoil and -water on the floor around the machine.

This produced a hazard, since :a mixture of oil and Water is slipperyand flammable. Thus in general, considerable damage has heretofore beencaused by the conditions described above.

Vlevel of carried-over fluid.

The present invention obviates the mentioned difliculties. in the sidewall of the transmission casing 7 which is downwardly located butabove'the normal oil level 15. It is this port to which heretofore `aconventional upstanding breather pipe was attached and through which theformer hazardous overflow conditions occurred. These conventionalbreather pipes were employed primarily to assure atmospheric pressure inthe compartment 7 for proper oil pump operation.

According to the present invention, port 68 receives a lower inlet 67 ofa special breather pipe 69 which extends therefrom to an upper breatheropening 71.

My breather pipe 69 is specially provided with a downwardly extendingconnection 74. This is located below a spill-over level 93 between theinlet 67 and the` outlet 71. The connection 74 leads to a container 73,composed of a closed cylinder of suitable electrical insulatingmaterial. Extending centrally from the bottom 75 of the container 73 isan insulating pillar 77, through which extend molded-in insulatedconductors 79. These extend from outside terminals 81 to insidetransversely extending contacts 83. The ends 85 of contacts 83 are forpurposes of strength molded into the sides of the container 73. Theoutside terminals 81 are wired into a circuit 85 across which isconnected the motor 5 and in which is a fuse 87.

Optionally, there is located in the container 73 a movable annular float89 which is preferably also made of plastic and which carries an upperconductive metal ringshaped plate 91. Normally, as shown in PIG. 2, whenthe float 89 is down, the conductive plate 91 is separated from theinsulated contacts 83. When the float rises, the plate 91 contacts theterminals 83. This short-circuits and b-lows the fuse 87, thus stoppingthe motor 5.

Operation is as follows:

Assume that the motor is running and the transmission 9 is operating ineither of i-ts two modes, i.e., rotating the members 55, 57, 59 as anassembly (without pulsation of shaft 47) or without rotation of thesemembers and pulsation only of shaft 47. Assume also leakage through -anyone or more of the seals 61, 63 or 65. In time, the spill-over level 93of oil and water in the `casing 7 will be reached. Spill-over occursthrough the lower parts of the breather pipe 69 and down throughconnection 74 and into the container 73.

If the water is of hard variety, i.e., carrying sal-ts favoring acondition of electrical conductivity of the water, the water descendingat the gap 97 between contacts 83 will immediately short-circuit thefuse 87 so as to stop motor 5. Such hard-water operation does notrequire, or always bring into operation, the float 89. Thus forhard-water operation the float can be `dispensed with, since theoperation described does not depend upon it. Moreover, under suchhard-water conditions, with or without the float 89, any mixture of oiland water in the container 73 will separate out with the water on thebottom and the water level will rise to the level of the contacts 38,thus assuring short-circuiting if overflow is slow, as for exampledrop-,by-drop which might not eiliciently close the -gap 97. Normally,however, short-circuiting will Occur simply by the hard water in thewateroil mixture reaching the gap 97 as it ilows in from connection 74.

yConditions are met with in which the leakage water is soft and istherefore an inferior conductor. In such event the operation of thefloat 89 is a necessity. Spillover at level 93 of the oil-water mixturethrough connection 74 into the container 73 causes a rising liquid Thiscauses the ilOat to rise and, by means of the conductive ring 91, toform a `connection through contacts `83 which blows the fuse Thecontainer 73 is provided with internal vertical slots 95 which assure a`free downward flow of liquid from the This is accomplished inconnection with a port 68` top to the bottom of the container 73 inorder to obtain a rapid iniilling and rise of the liquid level thereinfor elevating the float 89.

It will be seen from the above that the washer is always shut oii underleaking conditions before any external overflow can occur from outlet.71, and that the shut-off event is a signal that leakage is collecting.Moreover, the shut-off is timed by the comparatively low spillover level93 to occur before any substantial damage has occurred -to thetransmission parts. Thus, instead of replacements being required ofexpensive transmission parts, these need only be drained of theoil-water mixture and dried, the pan 11 relled with oil and any brokenseal or seals replaced.

According to the above description, the safety device is connected tothe container 7 at port 68 above the liquid level 15, so that it isapplicable as a replacement for` conventional breather pipes whichheretofore have been attached to such a port. It is to be understood,however, that the device may be connected to the casnig 7 through a portsuch as 68, located in the pan 11 below the liquid level 15 of thecharge of oil 13, provided the arrangement is such that the spill-overlevel 93 is above the normal oil level 15. Except for the matter ofinterchangeability, such a connection is preferable because it shortensthe time required for the level 15 under conditions of leakage to reachthe spill-over level '93 and, `as will be apparent from the abovedescription, any reduction in this time is an advantage in preventingthe accrual of water damage in the transmission.

The oil levels above referred to will be understood to be those assumedby liquid when the washer is at rest, but it will be understood thatspill-over may occur either when the washer is operating or at rest.

In View of the above, it will be seen that the several objects of theinvention are achieved and other advantageous results attained.

As various changes could be made in the above constructions withoutdepartingfrom the scope of the invention, it is intended that all mattercontained in the above description or shown in the accompanying drawingsshall be interpreted as illustrative and not in a limiting sense.

I claim:

l. A safety device for a motor-driven washing machine transmissionhaving a casing containing a normal operating level of oil therein,wherein the casing is connected with a water-containing washingstructure from which water leakage mayy occur into the transmission andkraise said operating level; comprising a transversely extending overabove said operating level, an air breather pipe having a downward inletbelow said spill-over pipe adapted to form a connection with said casingat a point adjacent to but above the normal operating oil level andbeneath abnormal levels caused by water leakage, said breather pipehaving a lirst portion extending upward from said connection andconnecting with said liquid spill-over pipe and also having a secondportion forming an upward extension above said liquid spill-over pipe,said second portion of the breather pipe having a free outlet to theatmosphere outside of the casing and above the liquid spillover pipe, acontainer located below the liquid spill-over pipe, a pipe connectionextending up from the container and to said liquid spill-over pipe,insulated ycontacts in said container, said contacts being adapted forlocation in a circuit which contains means adapted to de-excite themotor in response to an electrical connection established between saidcontacts such as by entry into said container of liquid from said casingwhen the liquid level in the casing reaches the level of the inside of-said liquid spill-over pipe. 4

2. A safety device according to claim l, wherein said container isshaped to provide a space beneath said contacts, a float in said spaceand conductive means carried by the float adapted electrically toconnect said contacts their endwise portions in said Walls, saidconductive memupon a rise in level lof such liquid in the container asmay bers forming terminals exteriorly of the container. reschthrfoitighdsaid spill-ovr pilote rrn thi? trawmssitol- References Citedin the file of this patent sa e y evice accor ing o c aim wn rem econtainer is composed of insulating material and has an 5 UNITE? STATESPATENTS insulating pillar therein, conductive members extending1,187,148 HlltChlSOn June i3, 1916 through said pillar from outside toinside of the container 1,768,446 GTO Jun@ 24, 1930 and having interiorportions extending transversely from @14011476 Geldhof et al June 4,11946 the pillar to the walls of the ycontainer and anchored at 21531159Rowell NOV- 21 1950 10 2,586,449 Whitten Feb. i9, 1952'

